Two students arrested over teacher's killing in phone dispute

Shock and grief engulfed Hopewell Secondary School at Barut in Nakuru after a teacher was brutally murdered by unknown assailants on Thursday night. Following the incident, police have arrested a Form Four student and one other person in connection with the killing.

Mr Peter Omare Mogusu was reportedly attacked at about 10pm on Thursday night and hit on the head with a blunt object near his house, a distance of about 100 metres from the school. The vicious attack split open his skull and spilt parts of his brain.

Blood, brain tissue and broken pieces of bone lay scattered at the crime scene, testament to the brutal manner in which the teacher met his death. The wall was splattered with blood and the grass on which his body was found was soaked a deep crimson.

‘Brutal and ugly’

“The attack was brutal and ugly. There are still body parts at the scene of attack,” said Mr Kahenda. He said Mr Omare was rushed to Nakuru Level Five Hospital in critical condition where doctors tried in vain to save his life but it was too late as the skull had been completely smashed.

“The doctors called me at around 11pm and said there was nothing they could do as a large part of the brain tissue had been damaged,” said Mr Kahenda.

REVENGE

Nakuru Police boss Samuel Obara said that they had arrested two suspects in connection with the murder.

“We have arrested two suspects who are assisting us with investigations,” said Mr Obara without divulging much detail. He added that they will be arraigned in court on Monday.

Sources told Saturday Nation that the teacher had confiscated a phone belonging to the Form Four student.

According to the school's director and founder, Mr Vitalis Kahenda, the student had vowed to teach Mr Mogusu a lesson, just a day before he was attacked.

“The student had, a day before Mr Mogusu was murdered, sworn to revenge against the teacher for confiscating the phone,” said Mr Kahenda.

DRUGS

Painting the picture of a pair of problematic characters, Mr Kahenda said he had reported one of the two suspects, an outsider who lives next to the school, to the area chief for selling drugs to students but no action was taken.

He added that, last year, the Form Four student was suspended for an entire term on allegations of being used by the outsider as a conduit to sell drugs to students.

The Saturday Nation team arrived at the school just as Mr Kahenda broke the sad news during the morning parade.

A heart-wrenching scene of woeful pandemonium met the announcement, with both teachers and students wailing and rolling around in the dust in mourning for the departed physics teacher and head of computer studies. Mr Kahenda said the teacher had confiscated the phone from the student at about 6pm on Thursday evening.

“Mr Omare was strolling in the school compound when he saw the student being handed a phone through the fence by the outsider and he went and confiscated it,” added the director.

THE AMBUSH

He was supposed to hand over the phone to the school principal on Friday morning as per the school rules.

“He confiscated the phone and, at about 10pm after making sure the students had gone to sleep, walked to his house which is about 100 metres away from the school. As he was entering his house, he was attacked,” said Mr Kahenda.

The director said that the teacher had informed the security guard that he was going home for the day.

According to Mr Kahenda, the guard also told the teacher that he was feeling cold and, since he also lives near the school, he dashed home to pick a jacket.

“But hardly 10 minutes after the two parted ways, the guard stumbled upon the body of the teacher outside his house as he was coming back, and raised the alarm,” said Mr Kahenda.

THIRD ARREST

Mr Kahenda told the Saturday Nation that police from the Kwa Rhonda post arrived at the scene and arrested the student and two other people: The outsider and another student who studies at Tumaini Secondary School. Mr Obara declined to confirm the third arrest as alleged by the director.

At the school, teachers and students alike were surprised that the Form Four student was one of the suspects who attacked their teacher.

“He was a quiet and cool student. He has never been involved in any disciplinary issue. In fact, at one stage the school principal had to expel two boys for beating him up. He was a nice student and it still puzzles me why he is suspected to have been involved in the attack against his teacher,” said Mr Kahenda.

He said the teacher was just about to complete his post graduate diploma in Education.

EULOGISED

The school fraternity described the Bachelor of Science (BSc) in physics and computer studies graduate from Maseno University as good teacher who shied away from confrontations.

School captain Rolex Awino Otieno described their departed teacher as hardworking.

“He used to come very early in the morning to wake us up to go to class. He was always there for us. We shall deeply miss him and may his soul rest in peace,” he said.

Hundreds of villagers thronged the homestead to condole with the bereaved family, including his mother Florence Moraa, his wife Doreen Moraa and their three-year-old son.

“Why did they kill my first born son like an animal? Who will take care of me?” wailed his mother.

His wife Doreen could not hold back her tears as she cried and rolled on the ground outside their house.

“Who will take care of my three-year-old son? What wrong did he commit to deserve such a mercilessly killing?" she asked.